2013 BMW 128I CONVERTIBLE Owners Manual

224
MobilityWheels and tires
Tire inflation pressures for driving up to
100 mph or 160 km/h
For normal driving up to 100 mph or 160 km/h
and to achieve optimum driving comfort, adjust
pressures to the respecti ve tire inflation pres-
sures listed on the following pages in the col-
umns for traveling speeds up to a maximum of
100 mph or 160 km/h.
These tire inflation pre ssures can also be found
on the driver's side door pillar when the driver's
door is open.
The maximum permissible speed for
these tire pressures is 100 mph or
160 km/h. Do not exceed this speed; otherwise,
tire damage and accidents could occur. <
Tire inflation pressures for driving
above 100 mph or 160 km/h
In order to drive at maximum speeds in
excess of 100 mph or 160 km/h, adjust
pressures to the respecti ve tire inflation pres-
sures listed on the following pages in the col-
umns for traveling speeds including those
exceeding 100 mph or 160 km/h. Otherwise,
tire damage and accidents could occur. <
Observe all national an d local maximum speed
limits; otherwise, violations of the laws could
occur.

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225
Wheels and tires
Mobility
Coupe: tire inflation pressures for the 128i
Coupe: tire inflation pressures for the 135i
Tire size Pressure specifications in bar/psi
Traveling speeds up to a max. of
100 mph/160 km/h Traveling speeds
including those exceeding
100 mph/160 km/h
All pressure specifications in the table are
indicated in bar/psi with cold tires.
Cold = ambient temperature
195/55 R 16 87 H M+S RSC 2.2/32 2.6/38 2.4/35 2.9/42
205/50 R 17 89 H M+S A/S RSC
205/55 R 16 91 H M+S RSC
205/50 R 17 89 H M+S RSC 2.2/32 2.4/35 2.4/35 2.9/42
Front: 205/50 R 17 89 V RSC 2.2/32 - 2.5/36 -
Rear: 225/45 R 17 91 V RSC - 2.4/35 - 3.0/44
Front: 215/40 R 18 85 Y RSC 2.2/32 - 2.4/35 -
Rear: 245/35 R 18 88 Y RSC - 2.7/39 - 2.9/42
Compact spare wheel:
T 125/80 R 17 99 M Traveling speeds up to a max. of 50 mph/80 km/h
4.2/60
Tire size Pressure specifications in bar/psi
Traveling speeds up to a max. of
100 mph/160 km/h Traveling speeds
including those
exceeding
100 mph/160 km/h
All pressure specifications in the table are
indicated in bar/psi with cold tires.
Cold = ambient temperature
205/50 R 17 89 H M+S A/S RSC
205/50 R 17 89 H M+S RSC 2.3/33 2.5/36
2.6/38 2.9/42
Front: 215/40 R 18 85 Y RSC 2.5/36 -2.6/38 -
Rear: 245/35 R 18 88 Y RSC - 2.7/39- 2.9/42
Compact spare wheel:
T 125/80 R 17 99 M Traveling speeds up to a max. of 50 mph/80 km/h
4.2/60

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226
MobilityWheels and tires
Convertible: tire inflation pressures for the 128i
Tire size Pressure specifications in bar/psi
Traveling speeds up to a max. of
100 mph/160 km/h Traveling speeds
including those exceeding
100 mph/160 km/h
All pressure specificat ions in the table are
indicated in bar/psi with cold tires.
Cold = ambient temperature
without Sport Package
205/55 R 16 91 H M+S A/S RSC
205/55 R 16 91 H M+S RSC 2.2/32 2.4/35 2.2/32 2.7/39
205/50 R 17 89 H M+S A/S RSC
205/50 R 17 89 H M+S RSC 2.2/32 2.6/38 2.4/35 2.9/42
Front: 205/50 R 17 89 V RSC 2.2/32 - 2.4/35 -
Rear: 225/45 R 17 91 V RSC - 2.5/36 - 2.8/41
Front: 215/40 R 18 85 Y RSC 2.4/35 - 2.4/35 -
Rear: 245/35 R 18 88 Y RSC - 2.8/41 - 2.8/41
Compact spare wheel:
T 125/80 R 17 99 M Traveling speeds up to a max. of 50 mph/80 km/h
4.2/60
with Sport Package
205/55 R 16 91 H M+S RSC 2.2/32 2.4/35 2.2/32 2.7/39
205/50 R 17 89 H M+S RSC 2.2/32 2.6/38 2.4/35 2.9/42
Front: 205/50 R 17 89 V RSC 2.2/32 - 2.7/39 -
Rear: 225/45 R 17 91 V RSC - 2.5/36 - 3.2/46
Front: 215/40 R 18 85 Y RSC 2.4/35 - 2.6/38 -
Rear: 245/35 R 18 88 Y RSC - 2.8/41 - 3.1/45
Compact spare wheel:
T 125/80 R 17 99 M Traveling speeds up to a max. of 50 mph/80 km/h
4.2/60

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227
Wheels and tires
Mobility
Convertible: tire inflation pressures for the 135i
Tire size Pressure specifications in bar/psi
Traveling speeds up to a max. of
100 mph/160 km/h Traveling speeds
including those exceeding
100 mph/160 km/h
All pressure specifications in the table are
indicated in bar/psi with cold tires.
Cold = ambient temperature
without Sport Package
205/50 R 17 89 H M+S A/S RSC
205/50 R 17 89 H M+S RSC 2.2/32 2.6/38 2.5/36 2.9/42
Front: 215/40 R 18 85 Y RSC 2.7/39 - 2.7/39 -
Rear: 245/35 R 18 88 Y RSC - 2.8/41 - 2.8/41
Compact spare wheel:
T 125/80 R 17 99 M Traveling speeds up to a max. of 50 mph/80 km/h
4.2/60
with Sport Package
205/50 R 17 89 H M+S RSC 2.2/32 2.6/38 2.5/36 2.9/42
Front: 215/40 R 18 85 Y RSC 2.7/39 - 2.7/39 -
Rear: 245/35 R 18 88 Y RSC - 2.8/41 - 3.1/45
Compact spare wheel:
T 125/80 R 17 99 M Traveling speeds up to a max. of 50 mph/80 km/h
4.2/60

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228
MobilityWheels and tires
Tire identification marks
Knowledge of the labeling on the side of the tire
makes it easier to identify and choose the right
tires.
Tire size
Speed code letter
Q = up to 100 mph or 160 km/h
T = up to 118 mph or 190 km/h
H = up to 131 mph or 210 km/h
V = up to 150 mph or 240 km/h
W = up to 167 mph or 270 km/h
Y = up to 186 mph or 300 km/h
Tire Identification Number
Tires with DOT codes meet the guidelines of
the US Department of Transportation.
DOT code:
Tire age
The manufacturing date of tires is contained in
the tire coding: DOT … 1013 means that the
tire was manufactured in week 10 of 2013.
BMW recommends that you replace all tires
after 6 years at most, even if some tires may last
for 10 years.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable
on the tire sidewall betw een tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For example:
Tread wear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
DOT Quality Grades
Tread wear
Traction AA A B C
Temperature A B C
All passenger car tires must conform to
Federal Safety Requir ements in addition
to these grades. <
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditio ns on a specified gov-
ernment test course. For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and one-half (1 γ) times as
well on the government course as a tire graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditio ns of their use, how-
ever, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road characteris-
tics and climate.
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B, and C.
These grades represent the tire's ability to stop
on wet pavement, as measured under con-
trolled conditions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked
C may have poor traction performance.
e.g.
Nominal width in mm
Aspect ratio
in
Ξ
Radial belt construction
Rim diameter in inches
Load rating,
not on ZR tires
Speed code letter, in
front of the R on ZR tires
225/45 R1791 V
e.g.
Manufacturer's
code for tire make
Tire size and
tire design
Tire ageDOT xxxx xxx 4012

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Wheels and tires
Mobility
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahe
ad braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics. <
Temperature
The temperature grades are A, the highest, B,
and C, representing the ti re's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce
tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to
a level of performance which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehi-
cle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test whee l than the minimum
required by law.
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or exce ssive loading, either
separately or in combin ation, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure. <
RSC – run-flat tires
You will recognize run-flat tires by a circular
symbol containing the letters RSC on the side
of the tire, refer to page230.
M+S
Winter and all-season tires.
These have better wint er properties than
summer tires.
XL
Designation for specia lly reinforced tires.
Tire condition
Inspect your tires frequently for tread wear,
signs of damage and for foreign objects lodged
in the tread. Check the tread depth.
Minimum tread depth
The tread depth should not drop below 0.12 in/
3 mm, although, for example, European legisla-
tion only specifies a minimum tread depth of
0.063 in/1.6 mm. At tread depths below 0.12 in/
3 mm there is an increased risk of high-speed
hydroplaning, even when only small amounts of
water are present on the road surface.
When winter tires wear down past a tread depth
of 0.16 in/4 mm, they be come perceptibly less
suitable for winter condit ions. In the interest of
safety, new tires sh ould be installed.
Wear indicators in the base of the tread groove
are distributed around th e tire's circumference;
the letters TWI, for Tread Wear Indicator, on the
tire's sidewalls identify tires that incorporate
these wear indicators. On ce the tire tread has
worn down to the wear indicators, the tire has
worn to a depth of 0.063 in/1.6 mm.
Wheel/tire damage
Driving over rough or damaged road surfaces,
as well as debris, curbs and other obstacles can
cause serious damage to wheels, tires, and sus-
pension parts. This is more likely to occur with
low-profile tires, which provide less cushioning
between the wheel and th e road. Be careful to
avoid road hazards and reduce your speed,
especially if your vehi cle is equipped with low-
profile tires.

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230
MobilityWheels and tires
Unusual vibrations encountered during normal
vehicle operation can indicate tire failure or
some other vehicle defect. This can, for exam-
ple, be caused by driving over curbs. The same
applies to any other abnormal road behavior,
such as pulling severely to the right or left.
In these cases, reduce speed immedi-
ately and have wheels and tires thor-
oughly checked. To do so , drive carefully to the
nearest BMW center or tire dealer. If necessary,
have the vehicle towed there.
O t h e r w i s e , t i r e d a m a g e c a n p o s e a l e t h a l h a z a r d
to vehicle occupants and other road users. <
Tire age
For various reasons, such as the development
of brittleness, BMW recommends tire replace-
ment after no more than 6 years, regardless of
the actual wear of the tires.
The manufacturing date of tires is contained in
the tire coding:
DOT ... 1013 means that the tire was manufac-
tured in week 10 of 2013.
New wheels and tires
Have new wheels and tires mounted only
by your BMW center or by a tire dealer. If
this work is not carried out properly, there is a
danger of subsequent damage and related
safety hazards. Make sure that the new wheels
are balanced. <
Retreaded tires
BMW recommends that you do not use
retreaded tires, since driving safety may
be impaired. The causes for this include poten-
tially different tire casing structures and often
wide variations in tire ag e, which can result in a
limited service life. <
Correct wheels and tires
When mounting new tires or changing over
from summer to winter tires and vice versa,
mount run-flat tires for your own safety. In the
event of a flat, no spare wheel is available. Your
BMW center will be glad to advise you.
BMW recommends that you use only
wheel and tire combinations that BMW
has tested and approved for your particular
vehicle. Variations in factors such as manufac-
turing tolerances mean that even wheels and
tires with identical offi cial size ratings could
actually have different dimensions, which could
lead to body contact an d thus to severe acci-
dents. If non-approved wheels and tires are
used, BMW cannot evaluate their suitability,
and therefore cannot guarantee their driving
safety. <
You can inquire about the right wheel/tire
combination at your BMW center.
The correct combination of wheels and tires is
also necessary to ensure reliable operation of
various vehicle systems such as ABS, DSC or
FTM.
To maintain good handling and vehicle
response, use only tires of a single brand and
tread configuration. Af ter a tire has been
damaged, mount the previous wheel and tire
combination again as soon as possible.
Wheels with Tire Pressure Monitor
TPM electronics
When mounting new tires or changing over
from summer to winter tires, or vice versa, only
use wheels with TPM electronics; otherwise,
the Tire Pressure Monito r may not be able to
detect a puncture, refer to page 94. Your BMW
center will be glad to advise you.

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Wheels and tires
Mobility
Recommended tire brands
Certain makes of tire are recommended by
BMW for each tire size. They are marked with a
clearly visible BMW designation on the sidewall
of the tire.
When properly used, these tires meet the high-
est standards in terms of safety and handling
characteristics.
Special characteristics of winter tires
BMW recommends winter tires for driving on
winter roads or at temperatures below +45
7/
+7 6. Although all-season M+S tires provide
better winter traction th an summer tires, they
generally fail to provide the same levels of cold-
weather performance as winter tires.
Pay attention to speed
Always comply with the speed limit for the
winter tires mounted on your car; failure
to do so could result in tire damage and
accidents. <
If the car is capable of speeds higher than that
permitted for the winter ti res, a label stating the
maximum permitted speed for the mounted
tires must be displayed in your field of view.
Specialist tire dealers and your BMW center
can supply these labels.
Storage
Store wheels and tires in a cool, dry place with
as little exposure to light as possible. Always
protect tires against all co ntact with oil, grease
and fuels.
Do not exceed the maximum tire inflation
pressure indicated on th e sidewall of the tire.
Swapping wheels between axles
BMW advises against swapping wheels
between the front and rear axles, even if all tires
have the same size, as th is could impair driving
characteristics. If the tires are of mixed sizes,
swapping wheels between the axles is not
permissible.
Run-flat tires
The symbol identifying run- flat tires is a circle
with the letters RSC on the sidewall.
Run-flat tires comprise a conditionally self-
supporting tire and a special rim. The reinforce-
ment in the sidewalls en sures that the tire can
continue to be used su bject to certain restric-
tions, even if depressurized.
For information on continuing to drive with a flat
tire, refer to Indication of a flat tire on page92.
Snow chains
Only certain fine-link snow chains have been
tested by BMW, classified as safe for use and
recommended. Consult your BMW center for
more information. Snow chains must be
mounted in pairs and on the rear wheels only.
Observe the manufacturer's instructions when
mounting snow chains. Do not exceed a speed
of 30 mph/50 km/h with chains.
Do not initialize the Flat Tire Monitor if
snow chains are mounted; otherwise, the
instrument might issue an incorrect reading.
When driving with snow chains, you may find it
helpful to activate DT C temporarily, refer to
page 89.<

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